Who would have thought the actor behind Moe in the Farrelly brothers’ re-imagining of The Three Stooges would become one of 2015’s most charismatically bold and fierce TV characters thus far? Certainly not me, and it seems those comedy directors gave their bowel haircut-sporting actor short change.
Like a ferocious lion always ready to pounce in the night, Chris Diamantopoulos bursts onto the scene of Silicon Valley and never fleeces at any given moment to shine. He’s a ray of unstoppable energy in this week’s “Bad Money,” and gives the drive and direction the series hasn’t yet cemented. This new episode is the most continuously engaging and entertaining to date, and proves the spunk of the Mike Judge, John Altschuler and Dave Krinsky-created show may finally be commanded.
The chips remain down for Pied Piper, and after Gavin Belson’s (Matt Ross) tempting deal to have the tech crunch start-up settle with their competitor Hooli, Richard (Thomas Middleditch) finds himself taken by the possibility to fall back onto the corporation he initially worked under. He would be on his own if he did, though. Dinesh (Kumail Nanjiani), Gilfoyle (Martin Starr), Erlich (T.J. Miller) and especially fellow former employee Jared (Zach Woods) don’t trust the abusive company, and they are tired to being treated like Julia Roberts throughout her ‘90s filmography. It’s hard to blame them, especially when Gavin compares the suffering of billionaires today to the struggles of Jewish men and women during Nazi Germany at a media-heavy talk.
So it seems the rest of the team may go back to their initial app plans, while little Richard sluggishly wattles back into Hooli’s doors. Just as the young tech pioneer falls through on his plan, a potential guardian angel lands by his side. Well, if you imagine guardian angels with customized, blazed orange sports cars and stylish hair/beard combos. Young millionaire Russ Hanneman (Diamantopoulos) reveals he likes what Pied Piper has in store and wants to sponsor them. As the man who put the radio on the Internet, as he likes to remind people once or twice, he’s been screwed over the way Richard would soon be, and he wants to make Richard understand a new philosophy: “Don’t do what you should. Do what you want.”
The easily persuaded Richard is taken by Hanneman’s words, as they talk over self-grilled, $800 beef. It doesn’t hurt when Russ plants a $5 million check in Pied Piper's name. Although their work advise Monica (Amanda Crew) warns them not to work with such a brash individual — one whom has “douchebag,” “sexual harassment lawsuit,” “billionaire” and “misogynist” come beside his name in a simple Google search — the company accepts Russ’ offer. Once he comes into the picture, however, they come to a realization the man Dinesh later describes as “the most evil man in America” now owns the Pied Piper name.
Russ is the kind of irrelevant character Silicon Valley needed since its inception. The show always feels the urge to have high and lowbrow insults fly in everyone’s direction, but so often do they come scatter-shot and whenever the writers feel Silicon Valley needs a kick. Erlich remains the most consistent in this regard, as Dinesh and Gilfoyle often are left on the sidelines and Gavin’s antics always seem too pushed in. With Russ, however, he knows exactly who he is and what he wants but has no clue how to get it or that he doesn’t know how to get it. It’s a naturally funny character, and one Diamantopoulos seems to have tons of fun playing. Plus, "Bad Money" writer/director Alec Berg is confident enough here to let the actor have his moment, but also give everyone the love they need and desire.
After last week’s somewhat jumbled "Runaway Devlauation" narrative, "Bad Money" seems the most character balanced since last season's finale. Although Gavin feels shoehorned in, except for at the end when he finally brings Big Head (Josh Brener) back in the picture in a very important way, all the primary characters get their moments to provide laughs in manners not overplayed or underscored. Quick shots of Gilfoyle, Erlich and Dinesh copying Russ’ top-and-bottom teethed smile are “Bad Money”’s highpoint. Meanwhile, Woods sells the unspoken way Jared celebrated Pied Piper’s brief success, doing something we never find out, with tremendous nuance.
Berg understands the characters well, but also knows how to take them out of their comfort zone, all while still true to each personality. The most notable example here is Elrich’s little attempts to win Russ’ love, which the latter ignores or doesn’t notice. They are funny not only for Miller’s commitment to the joke, but how they show this typically oversexed and overstimulated character in a vulnerable position, and how he feels the need to keep himself in his ego-placed high even though he clearly is bruised by each downgrade. It’s fantastic, and something Silicon Valley should be built upon in this new season.
It is comforting to see how this show becomes more assured. The kinks are still found, but the fluidity is also more readily available. The cleverness is fully in check, but the comfort level is now adjusted naturally and the story moves at an agreeable leisure. This is all while it continuously ramps up stakes and consequences. It may be the beginning of when Silicon Valley figures itself out. So, if anything, let’s hope Diamantopoulos’ mojo stays in Pied Piper’s tune.
Image courtesy of INFphoto.com